Best External Keyboard to Pair With Electro 6D for Organ?

[leviclay88]

Hey chaps!

I recently picked up an Electro 6D as a portable keyboard option, and this is my first experience of physical organ drawbars... all I can say is WOW.

Now I want to have a dual manual organ setup, but obviously a second 6D is overkill. I was surprised Nord don't offer a midi keyboard for this very job (seems like a licence to print $$$) but alas!

What's my best option for a 61 key lower manual? Same keybed... bonus points if it's Nord red!

Next up... pedal keys!

[JayDee]

Um, a used E 3 or 4?

[anotherscott]

A used older Electro as JayDee suggests could be a way to go. In a new keyboard, if you want waterfall keys, the least expensive is probably the Numa Organ 2. In your area, another option in the same price range could be the Vox Continental 61. Since you don't need another organ sound (which is the only sound the Numa has), the Vox would have the advantage of giving you a bunch of other sounds... like better strings, brass, and analog-style synth sounds than the Electro has. Here's a picture of a setup I did with the Vox under the Nord Stage. Since I didn't need access to any of the Vox controls except the patch select buttons, I was able to bring the Nord very far over the top of the Vox (I used some rubber stoppers to prevent the weight of the Nord from resting on the knobs of the Vox). I set up one "silent" patch on the Vox which I'd use whenever it was functioning only as a lower manual to the Nord, but also had other buttons set to call up various Vox sounds. The Vox also has the advantages of being especially lightweight, and having (IMO) an even better waterfall action. And it's kinda red!

[leviclay88]

Thanks for the input - while they're all obviously options, I had assumed what I was after was something with no real internal guts, just a secondary midi controller. I'd imagine I'm adding >$500 on the cost for functionality I'm likely to not use (and if I'm going that route, I'd just get a second electro 6)

no suggestions for a basic midi keyboard with the same feel?

[Hlaalu]

Thanks for the input - while they're all obviously options, I had assumed what I was after was something with no real internal guts, just a secondary midi controller. I'd imagine I'm adding >$500 on the cost for functionality I'm likely to not use (and if I'm going that route, I'd just get a second electro 6)

no suggestions for a basic midi keyboard with the same feel?

This has come up a number of times, by myself included, since I was hoping the same as you are, namely that a reasonably priced MIDI controller adequate for organ would exist. Unfortunately you can count them on the fingers of one hand, and you wouldn't even need all of them.

I ended up with the Roland A800-Pro. The action is OK, and it has 9 sliders that you can set up as drawbars. Now since you already have the E6D, you may not need the requisite of 9 sliders. So there may be other controllers that suit your case, but often case the action isn't quite right for organ.

[anotherscott]

I had assumed what I was after was something with no real internal guts, just a secondary midi controller. I'd imagine I'm adding >$500 on the cost for functionality I'm likely to not use (and if I'm going that route, I'd just get a second electro 6)

no suggestions for a basic midi keyboard with the same feel?

If you want waterfall shaped keys, I'm not aware of any soundless controllers that are still in production. You might look for a used Doepfer D3M or Studiologic VMK-161 Org. You could also look for something used with (unnecessary) sounds that might still be cheaper than a used Electro, at least depending on what happens to be available in your area at the time, e.g. used Roland VK8, Korg CX3 (last digital version), Hammond XK1, Numa Organ (original), etc.

Getting back to things you can buy new, yeah, you may be buying functionality you don't need, but for example, the Vox or Numa I mentioned would still probably save you $500+ compared to getting a second Electro 6.

BTW, these other waterfall options we've been talking about still won't feel exactly like the Nord, but they will be similar. The Nord waterfall implementations tend to be more heavily sprung than others.

[leviclay88]

You've been incredibly helpful chaps! Thanks so much

I had seen similar posts, one even mentioning that the electro in question would only support a second manual as the upper one IIRC. I'm sure I'll work something out - lots of good leads here

[dwagar]

I have an old E2 that I plan on using as a lower manual with my E4D. I don't know what old E2s are worth, but it might be worth looking for one.

[deenigewouter]

n your area, another option in the same price range could be the Vox Continental 61. Since you don't need another organ sound (which is the only sound the Numa has), the Vox would have the advantage of giving you a bunch of other sounds... like better strings, brass, and analog-style synth sounds than the Electro has.

I was torn between the Vox continental and the Electro. Both feel like actual instruments and the Vox even has a modeled synthesizers + pitch bend. What did it for me in the end was the slight awkwardness of the Vox's interface. How do you know what key/layer number is the poly synth? You can layer sounds but not split, but you can split the Organ? If only the Vox and Nord could have a baby combining the the best of both.

Do you use the key/layer sounds at all? There are interesting ones but not very mailable and preconfigured by Korg. Also, the Vox uses the analog Nutube for Leslie drive right? How does it compare to the E6's simulated drive?

[michael_C1]

There are a couple of Alesis controllers with drawbars that have standard MIDI and USB MIDI and you can hook up a power supply since with standard MIDi you'd need one.
The Alesis keybeds are pretty basic and not waterfall to my knowledge, but as a lower organ keyboard they could be fine depending on how fussy you are.
Another option is a weighted keyboard with standard MIDI for your secondary keyboard. It would work way better for piano sounds, and as a bottom organ keyboard would be fine also, IMO. That's what I do.
Neither option is all that expensive. Have fun!